The wife of bilyonaryo Manny Villar expressed dismay Monday (January 11) over the government’s requirement for private companies to donate a dose of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 for each dose they will purchase.
“I just want to manifest that if you buy through government, yung private sector, you have to donate one-half of what you are buying,” Villar said during a Senate hearing on the country’s vaccination plan.
“Doble ang cost sa’yo kapag private sector ka,” she added.
Villar said she knows of several conglomerates which were forced to devote half of the COVID-19 vaccines they purchase to the government.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. explained that the forced donation was AstraZeneca’s policy, not the government’s.
“Itong vaccine company (follows) the principle of no cost and equitable access. In order not to violate the Oxford rule is for the private sector (has) to donate at least half for equitable access,” Galvez told the irked Villar.
“It may be construed considering the private sector will buy it, only the people who can buy it can access the vaccine,” he added.
Villar shot back at Galvez by saying ordinary workers will benefit from companies buying COVID-19 vaccines.
